lflf

My Feedback: (1)

Hi, in another post Calvin asked me how to take off a taildragger plane. I'd be interested in how other flyers handle a taildragger on take off. My own technique is to accelerate immediately to full throttle and go for it, get it moving fast and take off as soon as possible. I always seem to ground loop otherwise. I fly small, fast planes, in a desert area where I have to avoid rough patches and clods frequently, but I do the same at a developed field, if I don't the same thing happens, a ground loop. So whats most successful for you and what do you tell a beginner?

darinself

Hi there,
Your problem might be with how you accelerate. I add power smoothly over about a 3-5 second time interval (if your plane takes that long to take-off). The most important aspect of taking off with a taildragger is directional (left and right) control. Your prop creates something called P-factor, which is cause by the upswinging portion of your prop having a greater angle of attack than the downgoing side. This creates a difference in thrust between the left and right side of your plane; making it want to turn left or right (I don't know which way your engine turns). Keeping some up elevator and adding power smoothly will give you steering with your tailwheel and make P-factor less pronounced. Then as your rudder becomes more effective, release the elevator pressure and let the tail come up on its own. By now you're probably at full power and have enough airspeed to become airborne. Add up elevator again, lowering the tail. This will give your wings a positive angle of attack and the plane will lift off when it's ready. Hope this helps any!

RC_Fanatic

My Feedback: (1)

Make sure you have a bit of toe-in on the main gear. Makes all the difference in the world!

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

I just punch it hold full up elevator until it pops up. No the best way to do it and it makes for some interesting takeoffs, but its my way and hasn't caused a crash yet

Stickbuilder

IfIf,

Good evening. I only fly taildraggers, in most every scale that you wish to name. I have never flown a tricycle gear plane, and have been flying Radio Control since 1957. First, most builders/flyers use too much tail wheel steering, since most are directly driven from the rudder. I do not do this. I either use a bellcrank setup driven by the rudder, or use a seperate set of pull-pull cables driven from the inboard set of holes in the servo output arms, driving the outboard holes on the tailwheel arms. I do not goose the throttle to wide open on takeoff. I ease the throttle holding a slight amount of up elevator to keep the tail planted (it's hard to steer when the wheel in not in contact with the ground). Learn to lightly apply right rudder here. As the speed comes up, and rudder authority comes into play, I gently relax the up elevator, allowing the elevator to come to neutral. As you reach flying speed, the airplane will lift off, and if you don't horse in up elevator, a nice scale climbout will occur. Watch full scale airplanes taking off. You will seldom see a general aviation airplane do a vertical climbout. The climbout will be very flat, and smooth. Try to copy that.

Bill, AMA 4720
WACO Brotherhood #1

Wide Open

for me, it depends on the type of airplane im flying. my .91 size F1 racer has a ton of torque, and tries to pull to the left no matter what i do, so i have to get it up to airspeed very fast so that the rudder takes effect. on most of my tail draggers, though, i accelerate slowly like most people have mentioned and i hold in a little up elevator until i get enough airspeed for the rudder to take effect. then i release the elevator and let the airplane gain additional airspeed until i can pull up and it lifts off.

Herb Calvin

Thanks all you guys,especially lflf for adding another post. Really appricate it. I know a lot more about flying a taildragger. I've been flying trike gear every since I learned to fly R/C in 1967.

opjose

Make sure your draggers track straight...

Even the slightest pull to either side will be magnified during takeoff.

If you get rid of it, takeoffs will be a heck of a lot easier.

For those planes that I find difficult to run straight at takeoff, try taking off from grass.

The added resistance usually corrects yaw tendencies.

JGspeed

I got back into flying a couple of years ago to keep my Dad company. Pretty much everything he and I fly are draggers. I prefer free floating tail wheels because they don't put added stress on the servo (we fly on a grass field that's got it's share of bumps and lumps). Trikes are OK but they still put stress on the servo on a rough field. Free floating tail wheels also don't require the same sort of fiddleing to get decent ground handeling. I agree with the previous statements about smooth and slow acceleration with up elevator until you get air speed. That works best for me and I stink as a pilot.

As far as making sure a dragger tracks straight, trike or dragger, the same holds true. Last years build was a 4* 40 that was built to the plans. After a couple of typical bouncy landings, I dumped the rudder-coupled tail wheel to go free floating. It was starting to break up the rudder and would get too twitchy on the ground if the thin wire got bent back too far. I took about 3/4" off the length of the wire so the tail wheel is closer to the hinge line of the rudder. Now it tracks much better on the ground even with my slow thumbs.

Herb Calvin

Hi opjose, thanks for the reply. Right now in nw Ohio weather is real bad for flying. I fly off grass 100% of the time so I will try your way. thanks again

xandips

I accelerate my extra to a bit over half throttle until the tail lifts... then i let it run like that for about 5 seconds cause it just looks beautiful... then.. pull up : )

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

It always impressive to see a skilled pilot get the tail dragger up on the mains with the tail off the ground, then finish the take off run with a nice gentle lift off the runway. Thats what I always shoot for. The key is learning to use the left stick. If you just punch it to full throttle, and then forget to put some pressure on the rudder to the right, it gets ugly quick. I'm also a add throttle over 3-5 seconds while holding up elevator. As the plane gets moving and is tracking straight, release the elevator so the tail comes up. Continue your take off run and add a little up elevator, and the plane will fly off.

Brad

fadi

Full up on the elevator, I start to slowly accelarate and correcting the trajectory with the rudder.
As the plane picks up on speed, you keep correcting the trajectory with the rudder but you start releasing the elevator.

Plane should then be in a position where it is tracking straight with enough speed to allow some authority to the rudder.
I usually don't like to apply up elevator to take off, I just keep tracking on the runway until it lifts by itself.
The take off looks so realistic and I love watching it.

Works fine for me 90% of the time. The other 10% is when I don't synchronise the throttle and elevator correctly, and the plane ends up taking off prematurely as I have still some considerable elevator applied in. This kind of take offs will looks like a rocket launch

smosher9

My Feedback: (2)

I use full up when I'm taxing,

at the end of the runway its wot,

rudder has authority by the time I wanna correct the path


Steve

Medevack1

i was told full throtle and right rudder then she will take right off....

Carpilot

I accelerate slower until the the tail comes off the ground, then faster up to full throttle and a little right rudder (if needed) and away we go. I like to make sure I have plenty of airspeed before leaving the ground. I don't give any up elevator until I'm ready for it to take off.

engine tourque is less a factor if you accelerate fast over a few seconds rather than just idle to full throttle right now.

rednekk58

I've use this gyro in a .60 size fast aerobatic plane Forgot the name) and also on a flat electric foamy (Tribute) Sixty size had arrow straight take off on a grass field. The Tribute was hand lanched 3-D helped the hover. Could use a cheaper GWS from Towers. Have used that on the foamie but don't have the luxury off radio adjustment or dissabling. http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=200303244

Dav0012

My favourite way of taking off with a tail dragger.. not the proper or safest way but ehh all in fun, my cap 232 46r and my giles 202 140 size, i just hold full up elevator, slam to full throttle and take off straight vertical. hehe , although my christen eagle II needs a lot more work to take off than these :P

TopThumbs

Go fast, pull up, turn left.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

I'd let some of you fly my airplanes, because you understand much of what it takes to do a good takeoff. But nobody mentioned takeoffs with a cross wind, and that really adds to the fun.

Charlie P.

I've got different taildraggers that require different techniques. If you have enough Hp you can get by with the JATO berries-to-the-barrier method. Especially if you have a good tune on the engine and it doesn't konk when you suddenly bend the firewall with the throttle. I'm as guilty as anyone with this when I can get by. Last summer my Kangke SK/50, which usually hops right off and away, was giving me fits. I'd power up and just roll along, tail wanting to come up and nose over. Tried about six times and either smacked the prop and stalled her or taxied back disguested. After futzing with the engine and not finding why I finally hit a bump on the runway and it took off like a shot. On landing I noticed grass sticking out of the wheel pants where, usually, there was no opening. They had both torn along the strut and, probably because the grass was taller than nornal, they were twisting in and rubbing against the wheels as I sped up. Pulled them off and she was sprightly on take off again. No plans to put them or another set back on.

We used to have a fun-fly pentathlon and in one event you had to follow a slolum course between cones without lifting off. It was certainly the funniest to watch. Gave the guys with tricycle trainers a chance to compete along with the hot rods and big dogs.

Sonic500

Getting a Tricycle,
steadily applying power and countering with the rudder to make sure it goes straight and then lifting off gentily is the way to make it look as smooth as possible

ryanofoz

It may not be right, but I get it rolling and then stomp it. 2 seconds later up we go. My Ultra Stick 60 is the best at that but my other planes come right off the ground too. Hasnt failed me yet.

GuyIncognito

Very interesting thread. I wish there were more like it.

Anyway this is not so much about technique but about what you like to see. if you punch it and rocket straight up it preserves the airplane - but holly snooze ! Not too interesting to watch for us plane lovers. Nothing beats seeing the plane slowly accelerate, the tail lifts, perfect tracking, then it slowly rises off the ground and away we go. NICE.

You can ususally tell the pilots who know how to use all the sticks. With me its just practice, practice with each plane. Each ones different and you need to taxi lots under different power settings then practice.

Most important I guess is to not forget to slowly ease off up elevator to lift the tail then immediately feed in a little up to keep from nosing over. A very delicate maneuver but becomes second nature with each model. Remember to hold full up elevator when taxiing.

I think this is one of the most overlooked and under appreciated parts of flying. Whats that old saying? "real airplanes drag their tails". I'm getting tired of watching videos where all they do is torque rolls and rolling harriers (snooze here too). Maybe we should start submitting good take off and landing videos.

PS another cool sight is to see a scale bipe come in for a two point role out then slowly lower the tail under full control - NICE !

boomer78

I think Guy got it right. Use all the sticks, and it really does depend on what you like to see. But one thing that is left out of this thread. "Check your wheels and make sure they both turn freely." If one rotates slower than the other it will pull to that side on take off and landing. Make sure they both turn freely. Its kinda like having a brake drag on the front of your car. And I prefer a little toe "out" also.